Plater s-tank-sediment remover



A. H. WICKS.

PLATERS TANK SEDIMENT REMOVER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11. 1918.

Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR H. WIGKS, OF WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS. I

PLATERS-TANK-SEDIMENT REMOVER.

Application filed November 11, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

citizen of the United States residing at \Voodstock, in the county of McHem-y and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Platers- Tank-Sediment Removers, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to sediment removers and is particularly useful in removing sediment from the bottom of platers tanks and the like. An object of my invention is to produce a device of the above character which is simple of construction, cheap to manufacture and positive in its operation. More particularly my invention consists of an inclosed receptacle having a valve in the bottom and a hollow handle extending upwardly from the receptacle with a valve in the handle adapted to be opened when the.

receptacle is inserted into the bottom of the tank, the opening of the handle valve permits the water in the tank to flow opening the valve in the bottom of the receptacle so that the sediment in the bottom of the tank will flow into the receptacle and may thereby be drawn from the bottom of the tank. In order to insure positive operation of the receptacle valve I provide auxiliary valve operating means whereby the operator controls the actuation of the receptacle valve independent of the control by the handle valve.

In platers tanks, a sediment settles to the bottom and unless removed, the accumulation continues until it interferes with the proper operation of the solution. Heretofore it has been the practice to drain the tanks, usually losing both the solution and the sediment too. This sediment has some value on account of the deposit of the plating material and this may now be readily saved. Furthermore it is unnecessary to drain ofi the solution, the replacing of which, of course is quite an item. All these disadvantages are overcome by 'my invention.

For a better understanding of my invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the preferred form thereof, part of which is shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a cross section along the line 2,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

Serial No. 262,032.

2 of F 1 looking in the direction of the arrows indicated thereon, and

' Fig. 3 is a cross section along the line 3, 3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows indicated thereon.

More in detail my invention comprises an inclos ed receptacle including a box like structure at, tapering upwardly and pro vided with legs 5 adapted to keep the receptacle clear of the bottom of the tank so that the sediment will more readily enter through the bottom valve. The top of the reccptacle 4L carries a strengthening member 6 in which a hollow handle 7, preferably made up of ordinary pipe is threaded. At the upper end of this handle 7 is a valve 8 of suitable construction for opening and closing the passage through the pipe 7.

At the bottom of the receptacle 4: is a suitable valve mechanism consisting of a rubber faced valve element 9 secured by means of a bolt and washer 10 to the bottom of the receptacle 4. This valve 9 normally closes the flanged opening 11 in the bottom through which the sediment is drawn from the bottom of tlle tank.

Now in order to insure the operation of the valve 9 I provide a suitable spring 12 pressing upon the inclined member 13. Thus the valve is more securely held against its seat when the device is inserted into and withdrawn from the tank.

I also provide auxiliary means for operat ing the valve 9, in the form of a rod 14 which is attached to a yoke member 15' hinged to the valve by means of clips 16. This rod 14: extends upwardly through the top of the receptacle 4 and is hooked over the valve 8. Thus this rod 14 may be manipulated to open and close the valve when desired independent of valve 8.

For the purpose of cleaning out the receptacle and removing the sediment, I provide an opening 17 in the side of the receptacle together with a readily removable cap 18 having a handle 19. Thus this cap 18 may be removed and the receptacle readily cleaned.

In the operation of the device the parts are in their normal position as shown in Fig. 1 with the valve 8 closed. The operator now grasps the handle 7 and inserts the receptacle 4 downwardly until the legs 5 rest upon the bottom of the tank. Due to the fact that thevalve 8 is closed, the valve 9 in the bottom of the receptacle is not disturbed enough to permit entry of the tank fluid when being inserted into the tank. However, as soon as the valve 8 is opened, the pressure exerted upon the valve 9 by the water in the tank, opens the valve 9 so that the fluid and sediment from the bottom of the tank flow upwardly through the opening 11 until the receptacle t is full. The air which is in the receptacle 4: of course is forced upwardly and through the hollow handle 7 into the atmosphere. Now as soon as the flow has ceased, the valve 9 will automatically close due to the balance of'pressure on both sides thereof and the action of the spring 12 together with theweight of the valve. If desired the operator may also press downwardly upon the rod 14 so as to insure closure of the valve 9 and in addition may close the valve 8. p

The device is now lifted out of the tank and the cap 18 removed so that the sediment and fluid within the receptacle 1 may be taken out. The device may also be cleaned out with fresh Water if desired.

After the sediment has been removed from the receptacle 1 it is, of course, available for further use.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is A sediment remover comprising an inclosed receptacle, a valve in the bottom of the receptacle, an opening in one side of the receptacle, a tubular handle extending upwardly from the receptacle for inserting the device into the bottom of a tank, a valve in the tubular handle adapted to be opened so as to permit opening of the receptacle valve by the pressure of the fluid on the tank whereby fluid and sediment in the bottom of the tank will flow into the receptacle, and a V readily removable cap closing the opening in theside of the receptacle for drawing ofi the sediment after the receptacle is withdrawn.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this fifth day of November, A. D.

ARTHUR H. WVICKS. 

